9 Things All Strava Users Do—But Would Never Admit to Doing

Because it’s hard to ride like no one’s watching when all your friends are watching

BY SELENE YEAGER MARCH 18, 2016

Strava is more than a training and tracking app. It’s a social network where you and your fellow riders can see and be seen, amassing kudos, crowns, badges, and the like. And let’s face it: We all want our feeds to impress our friends, which leads us to some, let’s say „quirky“ behaviors we’d likely never do if someone was watching us ride… and would never admit to, if they were. You don’t have to be a Strava doper to be „guilty“ of a few of these.
1. Circling (and circling) the neighborhood. Because 49.2 miles is just not 50.

2. Stalking. You’d never pick up and leaf through a buddy’s training log, even if it was sitting open on his dining room table. But scrolling his Strava feed? All’s fair in the race for the most miles ridden.

3. Leaving the Garmin home because you know, no big deal. But then surreptitiously pushing record on your smartphone Strava app before slipping the device into your jersey pocket. It’s cool to look like you don’t care… but hey, you care!

4. Dying a little when your GPS conks out before the ride ends. Don’t worry, we understand.

5. “Strava-ing” that trip to the post office. Sure it’s only 2.45 miles there and back. But that’s 5 more miles you’ll get to tally up this week… if you circle around the house once or twice.

6. Taking the long way to and from the ride. Because bonus miles count double when everyone can see them.

7. Starting at the back. You don’t want to be “that guy” or “that gal” who charges off the front each and every hill. But maybe you can go just as fast (and perhaps nab a trophy) if you start in the back of the bunch and “casually” work your way up to the front as the climb goes on.

8. Going crown hunting. You intentionally plan a short ride on a day you’ll be fresh; slug down a bottle of beet juice; pop a few SportLegs; head straight to a segment you’ve had your sights on; and drill it.

9. Using the force(s). Riding in windy conditions is challenging… until you’re getting 20mph gales at your back up the most hotly contended segment in town. Score!